After holding him for a minute, encircling his arm around the little
fellow's shoulder, he arose, and saying, "I know what you want,
Tommy," proceeded to the cabin and brought him several little
eatables that had been left at the captain's table.
The wind now began to veer and increase, her sails kept filling
aback; and as often as the man at the helm kept her off, the wind
would baffle him, until finding it would be necessary to go on the
other tack, or make some change of course, he called the Captain.
The moment the latter put his foot upon deck, he found his previous
predictions were about to be verified. The rustling noise of the
gulf, mingling its solemn sounds with the petrel-like music of that
foreboding wind that "whistles through the shrouds," awakened the
more superstitious sensations of a sailor's heart. The clouds had
gathered their sombre folds into potent conclaves, while the
sparkling brine in her wake, seemed like a fiery stream, rolling its
troubled foam upon the dark waters.
"Brace the yards up sharp-hard a-starboard!--and trim aft the
sheets," ordered the Captain, who had previously given the order,
"All hands on deck!"
The order was scarcely executed, before the noise of the approaching
gale was heard in the distance. All hands were ordered to shorten
sail as quickly as possible; but before they could get aloft, it
came upon them with such fury from E.
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